Italian Chicken Soup

Superfoods.  This is my new mantra! I have wanted to start eating better, and now with a massive wound on the mend, the time has come. I have been reading about wound health and what to eat to help your body heal itself, and the 10 Superfoods seem to be the way to go. In case you haven't done your own Google search on these foods yet, here is a list:  Plain low-fat yogurt, eggs, nuts, kiwis, quinoa, beans, salmon, sweet potatoes and berries.  I also checked into specific foods to aide in wound healing and found the vitamins and minerals to add to my diet; 2 to 3 servings of protein daily, Vitamin A (found in dark green, leafy vegetables, orange fruits and vegetables and fortified dairy products), Vitamin C (found in citrus fruits, strawberries, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes and spinach) and Zinc (found in fortified cereals, meats and seafood).
So there you go.  Luckily it is summer and all of the wonderful fruits and veggies are in season, so this shouldn't be too hard.  Also, the husband is a good sport and will try anything as long as he doesn't have to make it!

The first recipe I tried is an Italian Chicken Soup.  What a yummy, hearty soup.  I found the recipe on Allrecipes.com where it was added by Julie M.  I had to adapt the cooking a little as she made hers in a pressure cooker and I only had a stock pot.  Turned out wonderful with a bunch of leftovers for the freezer (and some for mom and dad!).

I must also add that this is the first thing I have made from scratch since I cut myself.  It was a little difficult but my chefs knife and I are on our way to repairing our friendship!

2 tsp. olive oil
5 Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed
1 med. onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup pearl barley
1 cup green lentils
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
4 cups chicken stock
1 (15 oz can) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), draines
8 oz bag fresh spinach leaves, choppes
1 cup mild to medium salsa

Heat 1 tsp olive oil in saute pan over medium heat.  Add sausage and cook until browned, breaking into crumbles.  Drain and rinse sausage, set aside.  In a large stock pot, heat another tsp olive oil over medium heat, cook onion and garlic until onion is transparent.  Add barley and stir 1 minute. Add sausage, lentils, chicken breasts, parsley and 3 cups chicken stock to pot, adding enough stock to completely cover chicken.  Cover and turn heat to high.  Cook on high for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to medium, cook for an additional 10 minutes.

Remove chicken breasts from pot, shred the meat and return to soup.  Add garbanzo beans, spinach, salsa and additional 1 cup stock.  Stir to blend and heat through (about 5 more minutes).